


pretty in pink

by gl_bgolyb



Category: Homestuck
Genre: (after the battle with caliborn), Cancer, Conditional immortality, Major character death - Freeform, Mentioned Kanaya and Karkat, Trans Rose, postgame, technical suicide, tiny drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-11 10:42:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11146773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gl_bgolyb/pseuds/gl_bgolyb
Summary: sometimes your sister just asks for you to watch her die, and you can't exactly refuse





	pretty in pink

"Dave?" 

You swallowed, blinking back tears and standing up. "Yeah, kiddo?" 

"I think 'kiddo' is a bit inaccurate here," Rose said, her breath catching. It wouldn't be long, you thought, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze. She couldn't return the gesture but gave you a tiny smile. By request, you'd painted her lips for her, and her teeth flashed white behind black. "Stop looking so morose, Strider." 

"Strider? Really? I thought we'd moved past that," you said, trying to smile. She deserved better than your bullshit. "And c'mon, I got have some healthy emotional expression. Don't want me to go full on angst clown, right?" 

Rose tried to say something and started coughing. You wanted to hit the panic button but she pushed your hand away, her grin barely there. "Dave. I want to do this with you, _alone."_

"Why?" You didn't want this. Nobody fucking wanted this, but your sister was an idiot. A stupid sentimental idiot. "Why the _hell_ would you want this all? Why the fuck do you want to leave us like this?" 

Rose didn't answer, and for a horrifying moment you wondered if your last words to her would be that pathetic and angry--evidence that you really weren't that strong, that you were fake. But she didn't smile or laugh in response, and you saw the crease between her eyebrows. "Because I can't see anything past death," she said finally, closing her eyes. "And God, I'm _tired_." 

_So am I! So are all of us!_ You sighed. "But..." 

"It's been a thousand years since I lost her, Dave." 

"But _he_ died, too." 

"I know." 

"I don't want you to die," you mumbled, ugly tears clouding your vision. "Rose. I don't want to have to carry the snark at the dinner table. You've seen Roxy and Dirk. They're going to _end_ me in snark off wars. You can't die knowing that." 

"Dave." 

You hated how she chose to age, how she actively told Jane that any attempts of revival would be met with resistance, and how she now had the appearance of someone who was in their forties, deep circles under her eyes, hair gone, bruises in the crooks of her arms. "Why cancer? Like, if you wanted to die, why go through with chemo? What the _fuck_ , Rose?" 

"Same reason for hormones and surgery, Dave," she said, coughing violently. "Being able to feel is wonderful." 

"So is immortality." 

"Conditional immortality?" 

"Oh my fucking God." 

Rose wheezed, first with laughter, and then with gut wrenching coughing. You shot back up from her side, eyes huge behind your shades. She smiled, hollow cheeks stretched by those lips, and she tried to say something. The heart monitor began blipping out of control, and you shouted for a doctor. 

"Dave, it's okay," she said, her eyes already misty. "I'm _okay_." 

She flatlined seconds later, the black carapace doctor arriving followed by nurses. They tried to tell you something but you couldn't hear, couldn't be there.

**Author's Note:**

> postgame & post caliborn, for those who are confused--basically after defeating caliborn, the godtier kids created the Final New Universe, but everyone else was left behind, ie, killed in a massive game reboot. 
> 
> i'm tired and haven't slept for days


End file.
